The Washington critic., 1887-11-15
HER PLAIN FACE.

ripple Of incident In our daily life,"
said Milllcent More, closing her book
with sigh.
Nothing ever happens TO u.s." said
her cousin Catherine, with a smile, as
she bent forward to pick dead
leaf off her pet geranium.
Millicent and Catherine More were
girls Of go and 20; "old maids" the
17.year. .olders called them, who taught
school and supported themselves COM
fortably by their own unaided efforts.
Millicent was pretty, with red lips, a
clear, bright complexion and hair
touched with the warm, auburn.gold
that artists copy and poets rave Of, and
Millicent had not quite given up her
little dream of love and matrimony,
but Catherine never spoke of such
things. Catherine was small and
plain, with ordinary gray eyes, hair
like everybody's else, and not the
slightest pretentions to beauty.
But the two cousins were very happy
together after their own unpretentious
fashion, Millicent supplying the senti.
mental and poeticai element and
Catherine contentedly devotlng herself
out of school hours to the house.
keeping.
And upon this particular December
afternoon, just as the girls were
deploring the monotony of their
daily life, the postman tapped at the
door with q letter.
"a letter p cried Millicent.
And the cousins read 1t with their
arms twined around each other and
their heads very close together.
"Uncle George Is dead out In Aus.
tralial' gasped Millicent.
ooh, Milly-and he has left an
orphan boy!" added Catherine, the
tears brimming into her eyes. 1--WE
must adopt him, Milly-we must bring
him up"
bIillicent drew back little.
II don't see why" said she, some.
what coldly. "Uncle George never did
anything for us!'
1--WE never asked him to, Milly."
"But he knew we were forced to sup.
port ourselves!"
perhaps, dear, be was even poorer
than we. AT all events, he is dead
now--and this child Is left alone In the
world. III ST. down and write to the
lawyer this minute"
'Stopl" said Millicent COMPRISING G
her lips. "Do you mean that you
really intend taking a great, rough,
half civilized boy into this house -
Certainly, ! do" said Catherine,
earnestly. "Oh, Milly-a motherless
child II"
"In that case," said Millicent, ~
shall not remain here. If you choose
TO open gratis orphan asylum, 1t is
no reason that my slender income
should be squandered to feed your
fancies."
But, Mil'y, your salary Is larger
than mine "
"And do not mean to scatter It for
mere chimera. This child has no
sort of claim upon either of us. Let
the Australian authorities provide for
him p
And MIllicent More could not be per.
suaded 10 take any other view of the
question than this. The next day she
told her cousin that she had made ar
rangements to secure home with Miss
Keturah Bayley. who took "a few
select boarders," In the next street.
And then Catherine sat down to con.
slider ways and means. She had taken
the house for n year-there was no re.
Ceding from the rent question.
"l'll let the lower story to Mrs. Hop
per, the milliner," said she to herself
II never used to like the idea of living
In half O house, but all pride must be
laid aside now. / will take the back
bedroom myself, and little Willie shall
have the front room that looks out on
the street. shall have to do without
the new silk dress, and to countermand
my subscription to the Illustrated En-
cyclopcda, but shall not mind that
III discharge Hannah aud engage little
Dorcas Brown, who Is so fond of chill
dren, and has such winning way with
her. And l know we will get along
splendidly-though. to be sure, shall
have to ask Lawyer Goodale for copy.
ing to do ut home In the evening, for I
must be laying up little something
against Willie's college education"
For 1t never occurred to Catherine
More that she was doing brave and
heroic thing In denying herself for tht
benefit of one whom she deemed ye
poorer and more helpless than herself
nbi W thai nhV was uSNtut
the part of a recreant.
The little room In the front of thu
cottage second story was fitted NJ
preltily for the orphaned Australia
Catherine had sold her cabine
piano to buy the furniture-and Dorcal
Brown, In clean, white apron aut
ribbons, was buslling around, Will,
Mrs Hopper had already arranged he
stock of bonnet frames, ribbons ant
artificial flowers in the lower windo VS.
1t was lovely July day, with th'
sky blue and clear as a baby's eyes
and the air full of scents from the bios
soming buclwbeat fields, when Cathe
Iine More, having, not without diff
Guilty, obtained n temporary substitute
In her school, went to New York tC
meet her charge in the steamer Har
vest Lass, which had been telegraphel
from Sandy Hook the day before,
Little Willie will know me-" sh
said 10 herself, "btcnuse | sent IN,
photograph by the last mail, | wantel
my face TO seem familiar TO him, poo
lone lamb
She stood on the pier, eagerly scan
ming the countennnoes of every chill
that landed, her face Frightening one,
or twice as she saw boy that sh
thought might be Willie. when all of
sudden hand was laid lightly on he
arm, and she found herself looking N
into handsome, brouzed face far aboy
her
"Sir I" she cried, starting back.
II beg your pardon" " said frank